Short & Handy Creedmoor. Tikka or Bergara?

[Pepepotamo]

Hi all,

Looking for a short and handy little rifle I've narrowed it to a Bergara B14 Extreme (SS 18" #4 barrel, cerakoted, crappy synth stock, $900) or a Tikka T3X CTR (20", CrMo barrel, decent stock, $1550) both in 6.5CM.

What do you think, guys? I'm leaning to the Bergara because I could have the rifle and a nice stock for the same price than the factory Tikka. Also my last Tikka got quite a lot of rust so I would prefer inox. But on the other hand i don't know if a 18" barrel is enough for a 6.5 CM for hunting 400 pound critters up to 550yd.

P.S. Those are European prices, you guys live in a gun paradise.

 

[bmicek]

I’m a Tikka fan but those extreme Bergara’s are cool. 400lb is getting on the upper end of what I’d be comfortable using a 6.5 creed for at that range. If it was me I’d be looking at least a 7mm-08 or even a 7mm Rem Mag.

 

[JGRaider]

Tikka all day, every day.

 

[Tahoe1305]

I’ve said this a handful of places, but if you handload the tikka throats allow some extra umph. Not hard to push a 143 to 2850+ with RL26 and superformance. Makes it a really capable round before wanting to step up to PRC.

 

[Pepepotamo]

Thank you all. Sadly I don't reload, It's expensive (you need a license approved by the police besides all the materials) and then is really complicated to get powder.

I was being quite generic for weights and distances. Actually I've never shot a #400 deer over 350yd (with a 6.5CM 22" barrel I had), but I like to stretch the yardage up to 550yd for varmint, roe deer (#75) an chamois.

@Tahoe1305 , That speed from a 20" Tikka barrel?

 

[Tahoe1305]

Thank you all. Sadly I don't reload, It's expensive (you need a license approved by the police besides all the materials) and then is really complicated to get powder.

I was being quite generic for weights and distances. Actually I've never shot a #400 deer over 350yd (with a 6.5CM 22" barrel I had), but I like to stretch the yardage up to 550yd for varmint, roe deer (#75) an chamois.

@Tahoe1305 , That speed from a 20" Tikka barrel?

Mine is 24” gets 2900. You’d be a tad shy of that 2850 with a 20”.

Additionally the tikka throat works against you with factory ammo. Guessing 143 superformance ammo in 20” is closer to 2550fps unfortunately.

 

[BjornF16]

Find a stainless Tikka and have it cut to desired length

 

[LongWayAround]

I like my Bergara B14 in 6.5CM and actually prefer the feel of the factory stock over that of the Tikkas. I would like to upgrade my stock though...

It will kill 400lb animals at that range just fine.

 

[ljalberta]

I would have no problem using an 18” 6.5cm to take an elk or moose at those ranges or more. Never used a Bergara though, so I’ll leave the recommendations to others.

 

[Pepepotamo]

Thank you.

Regarding the Tikka, I have already a Superlite Black in 270W with a chubby HD5 5-25x50 on top that I like a lot but I want something shorter and also not very heavy but with a thicker barrel. Also I miss the 22" Creedmoor I had for a daily use (short range boars, foxes and small deers and goats mainly).

I was thinking on using Talley LW mounts and a Swaro Z5i 2.4-12x50, the Bergara would weight 7.5 lb. and the Tikka about 8.5 lb. (I cannot find the exact weight of the tikka in 20" and I don't now if the rail can be removed).

I would love to live in the US only for the options in guns and gun modifications you have there. Here it's forbidden to change a barrel, to cut a barrel under certain length, to thread a barrel without testing it after ¿?, and it's almost imposible to find someone who cerakote a rifle... So a rifle have to tick a lot of boxes from factory.

 

[Waterboy]

I like my Bergara B14 in 6.5CM and actually prefer the feel of the factory stock over that of the Tikkas. I would like to upgrade my stock though...

It will kill 400lb animals at that range just fine.

Same here but I’m keeping the stock.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I like my 18" 30-06. Its a tikka, bergera is extremely low quality.

 

[RoguePanzer]

I like my Tikka action more, but the factory stock on my bergara was hands down better. Both are shooters.

 

[rootacres]

Ive used both, you cant go wrong with either. Id consider the factory stock on the Bergara better than the factory stock on a tikka, or at least consider them equal. Neither are great. If you're trying to knock down 400lb critters out to 550yds, I would also bump to maybe a 7mm-08 at a minimum, but probably to a mild magnum like a 7 SAUM, 7 Rem Mag, 300 WSM etc. Good luck.

 

[Thinkingman]

There are too many low round count Bergaras for sale to make me confident buying one.
Tikka is the easy choice and don't worry too much about the stock...They just work.

 

[Colby]

Tikka, no question.